Running-gear for vehicles.



PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907. J. BEERS. RUNNING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

ARPLIOATION FILED JUNE 8, 1906.

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WITNESSES THE NORRIS PEiERs co. Iusmmzmu, n. c.

PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

J. BEERS.

RUNNING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 8. 1906.

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JOHN BEEBS, OF WHITE SPRINGS, FLORIDA.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed June 8, 1906. Serial No. 320,735.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOH BEERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at White Springs, in the county of Hamilton and State of Florida, have invented ccrtain new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the means for supporting the tongue and reach of a wagon and more particularly to a peculiar constructionof the front axle of a wagon and the fifth wheel therefor.

The objects of my invention are to provide means whereby the reach or tongue of a wagon may be removed from engagement with the forward axle, without the necessity of removing the king bolt from the fifth wheel, and to reduce the number of pieces ordinarily forming the tongue and reach connection with the forward axle.

To this end my invention consists in the constructions and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, and set forth more particularly in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown an embodiment of my invention.

Figure l is a side view of the front axle of a wagon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, the tongue being in section. Figs. 4 and 5 are a side view and plan view respectively of a modification. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the reach and bolster supporting plate, the bolster and reach being removed in order to show the peculiar shape of the plate and the location of the flanges.

Like numerals in the figures designate like parts.

2 designates the forward axle of a wagon, to which is fastened one member 3 of a fifth wheel. This, as usual, consists of a circular plate of iron out out at its front and rear as at 3. Supported on the bed plate member 3 is the other member of the fifth wheel. This consists of a plate 4 resting upon the plate 3, sockets for the reception of the bolster and reach, and a reach-supporting continuation 5. The general form of plate 4 is shown in Fig. 6. It is slightly wider than the reach itself and is provided with the lateral projections 4, the outer edges of the projections being rounded to conform to the circumference of the plate 3. A plate 4 of the shape shown in Fig. 6 is less weighty than a solid circular plate like plate 3, while the lateral projections give a good bearing surface. Transversely across said plate, rearwardly of its center, is a vertical flange 6 and acting in conjunction with this flange is a smaller parallel flange 6 located forwardly of the center. Between these flanges the bolster 10 is received and held by bolts 6. A vertical flange 7 which projects forwardly from the flange 6 serves to brace this flange and strengthen the plate 4.

Realward of the flange 6 and upwardly projecting on either side of the axial line of plate 4, are flanges 8 which form a socket for the reception of the end of the reach 11. A king bolt 9 passes downward through the bolster, the two members of the fifth wheel and through the lower axle, as will be later described.

The plate 4 rearward of the fifth wheel is continued out as at 5 to form a support for the under side of the reach 11. Near its end it has upwardly extending flanges 11 on either side adapted to engage the reach on either edge, the ends of said flanges being inwardly bent as at 11.

12 is a reinforcing plate adapted to be placed on top of the forward end of the reach and to be held in position upon the reach by means of the turned over flanges 11 and the bolt 13. In order to hold this plate rigidly in position it may be provided with outwardly projecting lugs 12 on either side adjacent to the flanges 11. These assist in holding the reach securely in its socket upon the plate 4. On removing the bolt 13 the reach may be easily removed by slipping the reach rearward between the turned over flanges 11 or by drawing the fore part of the vehicle forward and a new reach substituted without in any way affecting the fifth wheel or the forward portion of the wagon.

14 is a brace plate bolted at its rear end to the end of the continuation 5 of plate 4, then inclined downwardly to the lower end of the bolt 13 and then extending forwardly to the under side of the axle 2 where it is securely bolted.

15 is a reinforcing flange on the under side of plate 3 acting to reinforce said plate in its relation to the axle 2.

Bolted to the front of the axle beneath the plate 3 and on either side of the middle of the axle at a sufficient distance apart to accommodate the butt of the tongue, are forwardly projecting plates 16. These are angled at their rear ends and bolted to the front of the axle. The hounds 17 are formed of PI shape in section and are bolted at their forward ends on either side of the plates 16 which form the tongue socket. From the forward ends, the hounds extend parallel with the plates 16 for a short distance and then are bent outwardly, extending back to the axle on either side of the plate 3. They are then bent rearwardly, engaging with the axle itself, being held in place by suitable clamps to be hereafter described.

The plates 16 at their forward ends and the inside flange of the bent ends 17 of the hounds 17, are slotted as at 18 for the reception of a transverse bolt 19 on the butt end of the tongue 20, the bolt projecting laterally for engagement with the slots and being provided with nuts whereby the tongue may be held firmly in position. The slot 18 projects upwardly, forwardly and then downwardly. By this means the tongue may be readily inserted into its socket between plates 16 and may as readily be removed. A transverse braceplate 21 bridges the space between the socket plates 16, and is bolted or otherwise attached to the ends 17 of the hounds. In order to provide for the lifting of the tongue upward to the highest point of slot 18 the middle of the bridge plate 21 is raised, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

Transversely across the hounds at a point somewhat rearward of the bridge plate 21 is a depending l shaped stirrup-iron 22, bolted at its ends to the under face of the hounds. This stirrup supports a retractile spring 23 of suflicient strength to exert a downward pull on the butt of the tongue 20, and counterbalance the weight of tongue, thus preventing its continual strain on the collars of the draft animals. The upper end of the spring is attached-t0 the butt of the tongue in any suitable way. The lower end of the spring passes down through the stirrup iron 22 and is provided with a nut 23.

At the rear ends of the hounds 17 the side flanges are cut off and abut against the front axle, the upper plate of the hounds extending rearwardly as at 17 across the upper face of the axle 2. They are held in place on the upper face by strap plates 24 having projecting' ends 24, these ends projecting under the fl-shaped clamps 25 which are provided with bolts whereby the strap plates may be clamped securely down to the axle. It is to be noted that the stirrup 22 projects down beneath the lower edge of the plate 16 a sufficient distance to permit of the tongue being passed in to its socket and beneath the lower edge of the plates until its transverse bolt engages with the mouth of the slot 18.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a modification of the reach connection. Connections heretofore described are particularly to be used with heavy vehicles. This shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is for use with light vehicles. In this form the longitudinal plate 30 corresponds to the plate 4 and its extension 5, as heretofore described. It extends a suitable distance underneath the reach 11 but is continued forwardly beyond the boster 10 and axle 2 as at 30. Near its hinder end it is provided with the upwardly extending flanges 30 corresponding with the flanges 11 of Fig. 2. Midway between the flanges 30 and the rear face of the bolster, this plate 30 has upwardly projecting flanges 30 Thus the reach 11 is held from lateral movement by these two sets of lateral flanges 30 30 Midway between flanges 30 just referred to and the extreme front end of the plate 30, there are provided upwardly extending side flanges 31 forming sockets for the reception of the end of the reach, and across the plate 30 and formed in one piece with the said flanges and plate is the transverse flange 31 by which the plate 30 is attached to the bolster 10 through the medium of bolts 31".

31 is a longitudinal upper plate located above the reach 11 and corresponding to the plate 12 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At its rear end itis formed witha circular head through which passes the reach pin 33connecting the reach with plates 30 and 31. At its forward end the plate 31 is received within the flanges 31 On either edge of the plate 31 are outwardly projecting flanges 31 which register with the flanges 30 of the plate 30. Bolts pass through these two flanges and assist in making the upper and lower plate and reach rigid with each other as regards any lateral movement.

32 is a brace plate connecting the axle 2 with the plate 30. This extends from a point below the flanges 30 rearward beneath the plate 30, then downwardly beneath the axle 2 which rests thereon. Beyond the axle it is upturned as at 32 and then bent forward in alinement with the extension 30 of plate 30 to which it is attached as by the bolt 33, a washer 33 being placed between the two faces.

It will be seen that the brace 32 extends a sui'licient distance forward and rearward of the axle 2 before being bent upwardly to allow room for the axle to turn in a horizontal plane, on the king bolt 34 which passes through the bolster 10, the plate 30, the axle 2 and the axle support or brace 32. At its rear end the brace 32 has laterally projecting flanges 32 which coincide with the flanges 30 and 31. Bolts 35 pass through all three of these flanges and securely clamp the two plates and the reach together. The construction is for light wagons and carriages.

The advantages of my invention lie in the ease with which the reach or the pole may be disconnected from the front wheels without necessitating the removal of the king bolt or the disorganizing of any part.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a vehicle, a front axle, a bolster plate, a trans verse upwardly projecting flange on the bolster plate, a bolster attached thereto, a king bolt extending through said bolster and the axle, flanges extending rearward from the bolster flange adapted to receive between them the end of a reach, said bolster plate having an extension at its rear on which the said reach is supported, and a bolt pass ing through the extension and the said reach.

2. In a vehicle, a front axle, a bolster plate, a transverse upwardly projecting flange on the bolster plate, a bolster attached thereto, a king bolt extending through said bolster and the axle, flanges extending rearward from the bolster flange adapted to receive between them the end of a reach, said bolster plate extending at its rear beneath the reach and having upwardly turned flanges to engage the side edges of the reach, a supporting plate bolted beneath the axle and extending rearwardly. be neath the extension of the bolster plate and bolted thereto to support the same, and a bolt passing through the reach and the extension of the bolster plate.

3. In a vehicle, a front axle, a supporting fifth wheel plate thereon, a bolster plate, transverse upwardly projecting flanges on the bolster plate, a bolster carried sion and the said reach.

4. In a vehicle a front axle, a bolster, a king bolt passing through the two and pivotally connecting them together, a reach socket attached to the bolster and adapted for the reception of the end of a reach, means for removably connecting the reach to the socket, tongue socket plates extending forwardly from the front axle and attached thereto, a pin for connecting the tongue to said tongue socket plates, hounds extending on either side of the forward ends of said socket plates laterally and rearwardly to the axle to which they are attached, a bridge plate attached to said hounds and bridging the space between the socket plates, and a transverse stirrup iron extending from bound to hound beneath the socket plates and rearward of the junction between the hounds and socket plates.

5. In a vehicle a front axle, a bolster, a king bolt passing through the two and pivotally connecting them together, a reach socket attached to the bolster and adapted for the reception of the end of a reach, means for removably connecting the reach to the socket, tongue socket plates extending forward from the front axle and attached thereto, a pin for connecting the tongue to said tongue socket plates, hounds extending on either side of the forward ends of said socket plates laterally and rearwardly to the axle to which they are attached, a bridge plate attached to said hounds and bridging the space between the socket plates, a transverse stirrup iron extending from hound to hound beneath the socket plates and rearward of the junction between the hounds and socket plates, and a spring attached at one end to said stirrup iron and at its other adapted to be connected to the butt of the tongue.

6. In a vehicle, a front axle, a bolster, a king bolt passing through the two and pivotally connecting them together, tongue socket plates extending forwardly from the front axle and attached thereto, upwardly and forwardly extending slots in the said socket plates, hounds extending on either side of the forward ends of said socket plates laterally and real-wardly to the axle to which they are attached, a bridge plate attached to said hounds and bridging the space between the socket plates, a transverse stirrup iron extending from hound to hound beneath the socket plates and rearward-of the junction between the hounds and socket plates, said tongue having a transverse pin adapted to engage with the socket plate slots, and a spring on the butt end of the tongue adapted to be connected to the stirrup iron to draw the said end downward.

7. In a vehicle, a front axle, a bolster, a king bolt passing through the two and pivotally connecting them together, tongue socket plates extending forwardly from the front axle and attached thereto, upwardly and forwardly extending slots in the said socket plates, l-shaped hounds extending on either side of the forward ends of said socket plates laterally and rearwardly to the axle, extensions from the upper face of said hounds rearwardly across the axle, strap plates passing over said extensions and clamps for clamping said strap plates tightly against the axle, thus holding the rear ends of the hounds in position, a bridge plate attached to said hounds and bridging the space between the socket plates, a transverse stirrup iron extending from hound to hound beneath the socket plates and rearward of the junction between the hounds and socket plates, a tongueadapted to be received between the said socket plates, said tongue having a transverse piu adapted to engage with the socket plate slots, and a spring at the butt end of the tongue adapted to be connected to the stirrup iron to draw said end downward.

S. In a vehicle a front axle, a bolster, a king bolt passing through the two and pivotally connecting them together, a reach socket attached to the bolster and.adapted for the reception of the end of a reach, an end plate made part of said reach socket and extending rearward to support the reach, an upper plate removably connected to the under supporting plate, a removable pin passing through the two plates and the reach, side flanges on the supporting plate for preventing lateral movement of the reach, and a brace plate attached at one end to the under side of the reach supporting plate and extending forwardly and downwardly to the said forward axle with which it has pivotal engagement.

9. In a vehicle, a front axle, a bolster, a king bolt passing through the two and pivotally connecting them together, one member of a fifth wheel attached to the front axle to horizontally rotate therewith, a fifth wheel plate rotatable on the lower member of the fifth wheel and extending outward rearwardly to form a support for the reach, a reach socket on the upper side of the upper mem ber of the fifth wheel, transverse flanges on said upper member, means for attaching a bolster to said flanges, a brace plate extending downward from said reach supporting plate and forward to the front axle to which it is pivoted, and a pin for connecting the reach with said supporting plate of the upper member of the fifth wheel.

10. In a vehicle, a forward axle, one member of a fifth wheel supported thereon, a plate rotatable upon the lower member of the fifth wheel and forming the upper member thereof, means for attaching a bolster to said plate, a king bolt passing through the bolster, the two members of the fifth wheel and the axle, a rear socket on the upper member of the fifth wheel adapted for the reception of the end of a reach, a reach support on the upper member of the fifth wheel extending out beneath the reach and havingmeans of connection thereto, a lower brace attached to the end of said reach support and extending downwardly and forwardly to the forward axle, tongue socket plates extending forwardly from the lower axle and spaced apart for the reception of the butt of the tongue and having upwardly and forwardly directed slots in the side thereof, fl-shaped hounds bolted at their forward ends to the socket plates and extending rearwardly and laterally there from back to the front axle, a bridge plate bridging the space between the forward ends of the hounds and attached thereto, a stirrup iron bridging the space between the hounds rearward of their junction with the socket plates and depressed below the level of said plates, a tongue having a transverse pin adapted to engage within the slots of the socket plates, and a spring on the rear end of the tongue adapted to be connected to the said stirrup iron and to thereby draw the butt of the tongue downward.

11. In a vehicle, a front axle having a tongue socket attached thereto, said tongue socket being provided with a vertical slot open at its lower end for the insertion of the tongue pin having a horizontal extension at its upper or closed end in combination with a tongue having a pin adapted to engage with the slots of said socket.

12. In a vehicle, a front axle having a tongue socket attached thereto, said tongue socket being provided with a vertical slot having a horizontal extension in combination with a tongue having a pin adapted to engage with the slots of said socket, and a spring attached to the tongue behind the pivot thereof, and adapted to lift the end of the tongue.

13. In a vehicle, a front axle having a tongue socket attached thereon, said tongue socket being provided with a vertical slot open at its lower end on the under face of the socket for the insertion of the tongue pin, then extending at its upper or closed end in an upwardly inclined direction, and then downward to form a rest for the tongue pin, in combination with a tongue having a pin adapted to engage with the slot of said socket.

In testimony whereof, I have signed by name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this twenty-ninth day of May, A. D. 1906.

. JOHN BEERS. Witnesses .T. B. PArxnLL, F. M. SMITH. 

